


W

by mldrgrl



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst Lite, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 08:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18546259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mldrgrl/pseuds/mldrgrl
Summary: Set during season 10, just after Founder's Mutation





	W

She finds it one night as they lay sticky and sweaty in his bed.  Mulder is on his back, a little more out of breath than he used to get.  She has her head on his shoulder, leg across his waist. She strokes the coarse smattering of hair across his chest, occasionally scratching it lightly with her fingernails.

 

It’s then that she notices something different, something subtle, something nestled and obscured even by the thin layer of hair on his chest.  At first she thinks it’s a shadow or a mole, but as she brushes her index finger over it, it becomes obvious that it is definitely not a shadow or a mole.

 

“Mulder,” she murmurs, lifting her head a little for a better look.

 

“Hm?”

 

“Is this...what is this?”

 

Mulder picks up his head and bends his neck so that his chin touches his chest.  He flops back down again after a moment and yawns an answer. “It’s a tattoo.”

 

“A tattoo?”  She pushes herself up to recline on her elbow.

 

He shrugs.

 

Not satisfied, Scully turns and stretches to flip on the lamp at what is the silently acknowledged side of the bed that belongs to her.  She turns back and places her palm flat on his chest, brushing his hair out of her way so she can inspect the permanent mark on his body.  It’s a small and simple W. She stares at it and realizes that where her hand is placed, just below the tattoo, she can feel his heart beating steadily.  She looks up at him and he shrugs again.

 

“When did you do this?” she asks.

 

“Awhile ago,” he answers.

 

And it’s been weeks since she’s been back, but she’s only just noticed this addition to his body when she thought she knew everything.  She traces the tiny letter with her finger. It’s no bigger than the tip of a pencil eraser, but now that she knows about it, it seems too big to have missed.

 

“You told me you put it all behind you,” she says.

 

“I have.  I’ve let go of...the hurt.  It doesn’t mean he’s not still there.  He’s...still my son. He always will be.”

 

She nods slightly and lays back down to fit herself back into the crook of his arm.  There’s an ache in her belly that she hasn’t felt in awhile. He may have let go of his hurt, but she’s never really been able to let go of the guilt.  Her defenses are up and her inclination is to pull away from Mulder, but she fights the urge and holds onto him a little tighter.

 

“It’s beautiful,” she says.  “I’m sorry it took me so long to notice it.”

 

“We see things when we’re meant to see them.”

 

She closes her eyes and bites her lip.  She should get up, wash the layer of sweat away, maybe get dressed and think about going home.  None of that appeals to her though. Especially not when Mulder draws the blanket up and over them and puts both his arms around her.

 

“We can talk about him if you want,” she says.

 

“I’d like that.”

 

She nods.  Her bottom lip stays locked under her front teeth.  Mulder shifts and turns out both lamps. Unconsciously, her hand drifts over his chest where she can feel his heartbeat.

 

The End


End file.
